Competitors groom animals for stock show glory

Reporter-News photo by Thomas Metthe
Merkel High school sophomore Amanda Williams brings a lamb into the horse barn at the Taylor County Expo Center in preparation for this week's Taylor County Livestock Show on Wednesday afternoon.

Reporter-News photo by Thomas Metthe
Wylie High School senior Trevor Terrell, 18, blows hair off his fine wool lamb Wednesday at the Taylor County Expo Center in preparation for today's Taylor County Livestock Show. Lambs, goats and rabbits are being shown today.

Today:

• 8 a.m. -- Lamb show followed by goat show

• noon -- Swine begin weigh-in

• 5 p.m. -- Rabbit show

• 7 p.m. -- Swine weights must be turned in

Friday:

• 8 a.m. -- Swine show

Saturday:

• 12:30 p.m. -- Premium sale

Chrystal Swindle holds down one of her three goats while her father, Frank, shaves the thick hair off "Sarge."

Goat-shaving is apparently an arduous task. To shave just one took a little more than an hour, Frank Swindle said.

But it's all a part of what one can find at the Taylor County Livestock Show, which opened Wednesday at the Taylor County Expo Center.

Swindle is one of 256 exhibitors, and her three goats, Sarge, McGee and Reveille, all "named after Aggie stuff," represent three out of 810 entries.

The show concludes Saturday with a premium sale that begins at 12:30 p.m. in the Expo Center Horse Barn.

Chrystal Swindle, a sophomore at Jim Ned High School, said she spends an hour or two -- depending on what needs to be done -- each afternoon with her goats she has cared for since the summer.

Her goats don't show until this morning after the lamb show finishes, but Wednesday afternoon was a time for many exhibitors' final preparations.

Last year's livestock show raised more than $100,000 for the Taylor County Livestock Show Association, said Rochelle Johnson, the association's secretary. That money pays the awards winners receive.

While the stock show teaches responsibility, there are other motivating factors.

"It's been tough, but it's been rewarding," said Collin Wilson, a seventh-grader at Wylie.

The rewarding part?

"I've won money," he said.

Wilson is showing a steer in his first year with a show animal. His steer -- Bubba -- is classified as an "All Other Breeds."

Pitch black with a white face and white patches on his brisket and around his hooves, Bubba barely moves while Collin and his grandfather style his hair more like a beauty queen before a pageant.

The aim of this hairdo is to make the calf look as big and muscular as possible. Contestants use super-size hairdryers to dry their calves and make the hair stand out straight. Clippers are used to trim the hair evenly.

Collin has had Bubba since February and admits the experience has been "harder than I thought it was going to be."

His father, Craig, said the work the steer has required has led to Collin's cat, dog and rat receiving better care. The task of taking care of Bubba makes caring for those other animals seem a bit less daunting.

Wilson competed in the 1,050 to 1,120 pound class with five other "All Other Breeds" on Wednesday evening. He placed third in his class.

After competing in shows in Snyder, the West Texas Fair & Rodeo and Wylie, the Taylor County Livestock Show is Bubba's last.